'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎48v] (101/610)

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Enzali on May 18th. The British garrison withdrew under
armistice to Rasht which they evacuated on June 2nd and retired
'to Manjil. Kuchik Khan, who had been professing neutrality,
thereupon made a triumphal entry into Rasht on the 4th accom
panied by 200 Russian Bolsheviks, and proclaimed the deposi
tion of the Shah and the formation of a Republican Soviet
Government with himself as Chief Commissar and Commissar
for War, the cancellation of all treaties and agreements between
the Persian and other Governments, and the equality of mankind.
The Government officials in Rasht were imprisoned, the detach
ment of Cossacks were soon after surprised and surrendered,
and the Gendarmerie voluntarily went over to the Bolsheviks.
On the 26th of July a force estimated at 1,400 attacked the
British position at Manjil, keeping, however, at a respectful
distance, while parties worked their way round to the hills
commanding Loshan bridge. On July 30th Manjil was evacuated
but re-occupied on 9th August. A Cossack column passed on
down the road and on 23rd August entered Rasht, where they
captured 500 prisoners and quantities of arms and ammunition.
They continued their advance in the direction of Enzali as far as
Hasanrud where they encountered shell fire from boats on the
Murdab, retired in some disorder and evacuated Rasht on 26th
August. They retreated towards Manjil, but re-formed and
entered Rasht a second time on 22nd September. They then
kept up sporadic hostilities with the Bolsheviks between Rasht
and Enzali until 22nd October, when they suddenly again eva
cuated Rasht and retreated to Manjil passing through the British
lines at Jubin. Their precipitate retreat appears to have been
due not to the military situation but to the machinations of
Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Starosselsky, the Russian Commander of the Persian
Cossack division, who had been informed by his friends in Tehran
that his dismissal was contemplated. The retreat, however,
facilitated this step and the Russian officers were dismissed from
the Division on 1st November.
Following on the withdrawal of the Cossacks the Bolsheviks
advanced into contact with the British troops, who cleared
their front by advancing as far as Imamzadeh Hashim, where
the Safld Rud enters the plain of Gllan, and bombed Enzali
by aeroplane, but for political reasons did not advance to Rasht
or commit themselves to serious operations against the Bol
sheviks.
The town of Rasht has undergone various vicissitudes.
The first period of Bolshevik occupation lasted from 4th
June to 22nd August, the second from 26th August to 22nd